KNUST Launches Kumasi Conversations Series on Oral History and Indigenous Knowledge

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched the pilot edition of the Kumasi Conversations Series, opening a critical discourse on the value of oral history, indigenous knowledge systems and the role of language in shaping identity, culture and resistance. Held under the theme “The Archive in Our Mouths,” the dialogue explored how knowledge preserved through storytelling, symbolism and cultural practices continues to exist beyond the boundaries of formal academic archives.

The session was hosted by Associate Professor Marius Storvik, a visiting Professor of Law from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and featured Mr. Isaac Adjei Forson, a Lecturer at KNUST’s Department of Languages and Communication Sciences. Mr. Forson described language as a living archive that carries memory, history and identity, stressing that indigenous languages often convey emotions and meanings that are lost in translation. He also highlighted how language functions as a tool of power, resistance and social accountability in African societies, noting that communities have long used symbolism, satire and cultural expression to maintain social order and challenge wrongdoing.

Drawing parallels from Norway’s experience, Prof. Storvik reflected on how colonial and state systems historically suppressed indigenous languages, resulting in generational loss of knowledge and identity. He emphasized that the disappearance of a language represents the loss of an entire worldview. The discussion encouraged a renewed embrace of indigenous languages as an affirmation of identity and cultural continuity.

The Kumasi Conversations Series will feature 16 live public dialogues involving KNUST academics, Ghanaian scholars and public intellectuals, addressing themes such as law, governance, culture, language and social trust. The series aims to explore shared challenges between Ghana and Norway while fostering cross-cultural learning and intellectual exchange.